Yankee Dollar In Trinidad (from YouTube and downloaded "Calypso In New York" liner notes)


YANKEE DOLLAR IN TRINIDAD
Rupert Grant (Lord Invader), 1946

Well look I had a pretty baby,
Who confessed she loved me,
And she from respectable family,

And she said that she had a soldier,
Who is treating her much better, uh huh
No, she said she don't want no native feller.

Chorus (x2):
And she told me plainly, she love Yankee money,
And she said, "Lord Invader, not because you sung "Rum and Coca-Cola",
Don't bother if you know you ain't got that Yankee dollar."

I started to chat the lady, I pleaded so impressively,
I showed her a lot of English money.
But she said what she need me to understand,
Is that she don't want no Trinidadian,
You must be an American
Or either a Puerto Rican.
(Chorus)

Yes, they have some girls in Port-of-Spain,
Some of them ain't got no shame,
Yes, I know a lot but I won't call name,
And if you see them around the corner
To approach them don't you bother
Uh huh, don't you know they blockin' some Yankee soldier.
(Chorus: They will tell you plainly they love Yankee money)

But now the war is over, Trinidad is getting harder,
Some of the women bawling for murder,
And you can hear them how they gossiping,
No more Yankee dollars they spending, and thing
Well now they hustlin' for their usual shilling.

Note: There is an obvious connection between this song and the 1956 "Jean and Dinah" in that both are about prostitution in Port-of-Spain and the lowering prices in the postwar period. In both songs the women are depicted as saddened by the loss of the Americans and their money and the singer implies that he is personally acquainted with these women.

Does anyone have any comments on this song?